Understanding
by The Golden Phoenix Song
Summary: Persona 3. The September full moon operation takes an unexpected turn as a mistake brings captor and captured closer to understanding themselves and each other.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 3 or any of the characters therein, nor do I own the script excerpt contained in this story.**

**A/N: The following story takes place during the full moon operation on September 5th 2009. Part of the dialogue is taken directly from the Persona 3 script, which can be found at the Game FAQs website.**

**With that out of the way, please read and review – advice is always more than welcome! **

It was September 5th 2009, and the full moon cast a beam of pale green light on rooftop of Gekkoukan High School's dormitory complex. It was deserted, save for the forms of two teenagers.

'You're a member of that group, Strega, aren't you?' Junpei Iori asked, struggling against the rope binding his hands together. 'Tell me, Chidori!'

The girl ignored him, stepping back. '...It seems they've completed their mission,' she said in a bored monotone.

'What? ...You can tell?' Junpei asked, confused.

'Yes, through Medea's eyes.'

Junpei frowned. 'Medea?' A Persona?

Chidori glanced down at him. 'My friend,' she explained.

Junpei sighed. 'Chidori…'

'That's not important...' Chidori said shortly. A frown crowded her pale face. 'Why didn't you call off the mission? Is it worth your life? Dying is what people fear most... isn't it?'

Junpei cast his eyes to the ground. He was silent for a moment. 'Well... I've never actually given anyone orders before... They wouldn't listen to me anyway... You see... I'm not really the one in charge...' he admitted quietly.

Chidori frowned once more. 'So you were lying earlier? Why? ...I don't understand.'

Junpei ignored her. 'Hey... Answer me this: was it all just an act? ...Us meeting, your wound, the picture... Were you just setting me up? Now that I think about it, that cut healed pretty quickly...' He laughed mirthlessly, his usually warm, amiable gaze now cold and stony. ' ... I see how it is...'

Chidori closed her eyes, as if in pain. 'That was…' she trailed off, unsure of how to continue. 'You don't see at all. I wasn't setting you up, Junpei. I have a duty to Strega. I can't abandon it for a friendship with you. Besides, if I had known you were lying, I wouldn't have captured you.'

'Yeah, just my friend!' Junpei exclaimed, outraged. He began to struggle against his bonds once more, though his attempts to free his hands were in vain.

Chidori knelt beside Junpei, forcing him to look at her. 'You didn't answer my question. Why did you lie about being the leader of your group?'

Junpei turned away from the girl's penetrating gaze. It was as if she could see into the depths of his soul. 'No reason,' he said quietly.

Chidori folded her arms across her chest. 'Come on, Junpei,' she persisted. 'There must have been a reason.'

Junpei fell silent once again, staring at the full moon, seemingly lost in thought. If he was a loser before, he was an even bigger loser now. 'Argh!' he cried suddenly. Chidori blinked in surprise.

'I just…' Junpei began, his voice wavering. 'For once in my life, I wanted someone to think I was cool.

You see, I've been a loser my entire life. I'm dumb, I'm weak and I'm a total coward. The only reason I can use a Persona is because Akihiko found me cryin' like a baby in a convenience store and told me about it. I'm the laughing stock of the class when exam results are posted… You know, I try to laugh it all off but…' Junpei paused, inhaling deeply. 'It just was so nice to talk to someone who didn't think I was a total idiot. Now you know the truth, I guess.'

'I don't think you're a total idiot. Don't put words in my mouth,' Chidori said scathingly. 'It's natural to want to be liked.' She fell silent, trying to put into words what she wanted to say. 'Yesterday you said that you feel alive when you get to be the hero. Why is that?'

That was the last straw for Junpei. 'Well, no matter how hard I try, no-one seems to take me seriously!' he cried, his composure lost. 'Nobody seems to like it when I'm being me, so what else am I supposed to do? Tell me that, Chidori!'

'Well, perhaps you should stop hiding behind this stupid mask of yours and talk about how you really feel! Living life under pretense is not living at all!'

'I know that, but it's just too hard…'

Chidori shuffled over to the boy, a sad look in her eyes. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, before suddenly jerking away at the sound of the rooftop door opening.

'Get your hands off Iori!' Mitsuru Kirijo said warningly, rapier in hand. The rest of the Specialised Extra-curricular Execution Squad dispersed behind her.

Chidori calmly slid a knife out of her boot, kneeling behind Junpei. Akihiko ran forward as his friends gasped in horror. Chidori glanced up nonchalantly, raising a hand to stop him. 'Do you really think I would harm him?' she asked quietly.

Yukari clenched her fists, a disgusted expression clouding her features. 'Well, you did already kidnap him! If I wasn't at such close range, I'd shoot you down now!'

Chidori looked at the other girl indifferently as she severed the ropes that were still binding Junpei's wrists. The other members of SEES let out a collective sigh of relief as Junpei stood up warily, rubbing his chafed red wrists.

He looked at Chidori, who hadn't moved. 'Thanks, Chidori,' he said. Realising that such a statement sounded strange on this particular occasion, he added, 'For freeing me, I mean. And for the talk.'

Chidori sighed. 'I don't know why you're thanking me, but you all need to go._ Now_. Takaya and Jin will be back soon.'

Mitsuru narrowed her eyes, suspicious. Her grip on her rapier shifted. 'Why are you helping us?' she demanded. 'You just captured a member of our squad.'

Chidori glared at the other girl. 'That doesn't matter now. If you want to live, I suggest you get out of here.'

Junpei touched the girl's shoulder, concerned. 'What about you? What will you do?'

Chidori let out a frustrated groan. 'I told you to take your friends and go! Why are you still here?'

Junpei sighed. 'I just don't want you to get hurt.'

Chidori glared up at the taller boy, muttering, 'I can look after myself. I'm not a child.'

Then something entirely unexpected happened. Junpei stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Chidori in a gentle embrace. 'Just look after yourself, 'kay?' he murmured.

Chidori pulled away, her cheeks red. 'You better go. They'll be coming.'

Junpei hesitantly faced his friends, grasping Chidori's hand. He suddenly turned back towards her, kissing her cheek gently. 'Be safe,' he told her softly, before rejoining his friends and exiting the rooftop.

Chidori was left staring after them, her fingers brushing the spot where Junpei's lips had been moments before.


End file.
